S. Korea Minister Hints at Disbanding Comfort Women Foundation

September 27, 2018

Seoul- South Korea's Gender Equality and Family Minister Jin Sun-mee hinted on Thursday that she will disband a foundation for so-called Korean comfort women that was set up under a bilateral accord with Japan.

In a speech following her appointment as minister, Jin said she will resolve the issue of the foundation as soon as possible from the standpoint of the former comfort women, who were forced to serve as prostitutes for Japanese troops before and during World War II.

The foundation was established to give Japan-funded financial aid to such women under the 2015 agreement between the two countries, which called for the governments to "finally and irreversibly" resolve the comfort women issue.

Her statement is likely to draw a backlash from the Japanese government, which has demanded that South Korea strictly implement the accord.

In a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held in New York on Tuesday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he had no intention of scrapping the deal or seeking to renegotiate it.

Moon, however, noted that the foundation has not been able to fulfill its functions due to opposition from former comfort women and the South Korean public. He also said that many people are requesting the dissolution of the organization.

The statement was reported by South Korean newspapers on Thursday as Moon effectively notifying Abe of the foundation's breakup.

Funded by one billion yen contributed by the Japanese government, the foundation has provided financial support mainly for the former comfort women.

But it has effectively suspended its operations since five directors from the private sector handed in their resignations in December last year.

In July this year, the South Korean government approved a plan to use reserve funds to replace the one billion yen. Jiji Press